Atmospheric engine.



A. HOLM.

ATMOSPHERIC ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1910.

991 989 Patented May 9,1911.

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- ANTON ome, pr'rnssarc, NEW .mnsnx, assreNon, TO HENRY mqmmnsoN, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

armosrnnmc ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1911.

To-all whom. it may concern;

Be it known that I, ANTON HoLM, a subject of the King of Norway, residing at Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Im rovements in Atmospheric Engines, of wh1ch the following is a specification.

This invention relates to im rovements in atmospheric engines and it is lntended more particularly as an improvement on the atitnjosgheric engine which forms the subject of Patent No. 923,086, granted May 25,-

' aeroplanes; In such use, owing to the lightness of the construction and its capability for developing high power, a battery of engines may be employed to provide a factor of safety and such a battery will be materially lighter than the gas engines now employed which of course are of multi-cylinder construction for the purposes of providing I a factor of safety and of eliminating destructive vibration.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where in-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an engine in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view throu h the cylinders, showing the manner 0 their assemblage; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the exhaust valve; Figs. 4 and 4 are diagrams,'in section and side elevation,

showing one stage of operation; Figs. 5 and 5 are similar views showing a second stage of operation; and Figs. 6 and 6" are similar views showing a third stage of operation.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

It will be understood that all words of location hereinafter employed are used in a relative and not in an absolute sense.

The engine involves primary and secondary cylinders 1 and 2, and corresponding pistons 3 and 4. These are joined by links 5' to the respective crankarms 6 and 7 of a shaft 8. The latter is journaled in bearings in a bed 9 from which the cylinders 1 and 2 are supported. The support for the cylinders comprlses a standard 10 which is secured to the bed and which is preferably cast integral with the cylinder 2, and the cylinder 1 is securely fastened to said standard by suitable devices. In the embodiment shown the cylinders 1 and 2 are disposed in parallel relation and are open at their lower ends so that their posed to the atmosp ere.

At one side of the cylinder 1 an inhaust port 11 is provided and adjacent thereto is a burner 12, which, in the example shown, includes a wick sup lied from a tank or reservoir 13. The flame from the burner 12 is, in the operation of the engine, intermittently drawn into the cylinder 1 through the port 11 and the admission of the flame to said cylinder is controlled by a slide valve which includes a valve plate 14 and a stem .15 carrying the plate. The stem is mounted for axial movement in suitable guide lugs and is forced downwardly by a spring 16. The movements of the valve are controlled by a cam 17 provided at one end of the shaft 8. The cam 17 acts directly on the valve stem 15, the latter having its cam engaging end provided with a roller to reduce friction.

The cylinder 1 is in communication with the cylinder 2 and the connections include a pipe 18 which leads from the upper head of the cylinder 1 to the lower end of a vertical bore or chamber 19 provided in the standard 10. The upper portion of the bore or chamber 19 communicates with the upper end of the cylinder 2 through a passage 20. Within the chamber 19 a coil of wire mesh or other suitable material 21 may be provided, the functions of which are to prevent the flame admitted into the cylinder 1 from passing into the cylinder 2 and also to trap vaporous particles and thus prevent their condensation in the cylinder 2. The upper head of the latter has its under face formed at the edge thereof with suitably spaced recesses WlllCll afl'ord exhaust ports 22. These are controlled by a valve 23 shown in detail in Fig. 3. The valve 23 comprises a plate which in one position seats against the upper end of the cyhnder 2 and in another positlon is held away from the upper end of the cylistons 3 and 4 are ex-- The latter is centered and guided in its movements by means of a plurality of outwardly inclined edge fingers 25. In order to prevent a cushion above the valve 23, the

. upper head of the cylinder 2 is provided with an opening 26. When the valve 23 00- cupies the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 wherein it is seated against the upper end of the cylinder 2, the communication of the Interior of said cylinder with the exhaust ports 22 is interrupted, but when said valve occupies the position shown in Fig. 4, wherein it is held against the screws 24, the communication of the interior of the cylinder 2 and the exhaust ports 22 is established.

.The shaft 8 is provided with the usual fly wheel 27. I

The cranks 6 and 7 are set at an angle of approximately 120 in order to provide for the sequence of operations to be set forth.

The operation is as follows, it being understood that the parts are set fora clockwise rotation of the crank shaft: Just as the piston 3 reaches its uppermost position and while'the crank 6 is moving through a dead interval and past its upper center, the valve 14 uncovers the port 11. This port remains uncovered throughout the greater period of the downward movement of the piston 3, durin which period the flame is drawn into the cy inder 1. The valve 14 closes during the last stage of movement of the piston 3, that is to sa just before the crank 6 moves through a ead interval in passing over its lower center, and the flame thus admitted into the cylinder 1 is thus'cut ofl' from the atmosphere. The piston 4 completes its upward movement slightly before the piston 3 completes its downward movement and during the last stage of the downward movement of the piston 3, at which time, 'as has been explained, the port 11 is closed, the piston 4 commences the first stage of its downward movement, and for a brief period duringiwhich the port 11 is closed, the downward. movements of the pistons are synchronous. This relation is shown in Fig. 5. During the admission period, very little air passes into the cylinder 1 with the flame. The action of the latter is to exclude air and the flame practically occupies the entire volume of the cylinder 1. During that period when the downward movements of the pistons are synchronous, an almost instantaneous mechanical vacuum is produced which q uickens condensation and when condensation has taken place, there is no force in the cylinder 1 which ofl'ers any practical degree of resistance to the outside air. Therefore when the crank 6 passes over its lower center, the air forces the piston 3 upwardly with great rapidity. Throughout the upward movement of the piston 3 the remains closed and is not uncovere the u ward movement of said iston is comleted and the crank 6 reac es its upper ead interval. During the reater portlon of the upward movement of t e piston 3, the 7 piston 4 is moving downwardly as shown in ig. 6, andthe dead gases are forced from the cylinder 1 to the cylinder'2 through the connections described. The lower dead insort 11 'terval of the crank 7 is practically coinci dent with the last stage of the upward move ment of the piston 3 and the first stage of the upward movement of the piston 4 is practically coincident withthe upper dead lnterval of the crank 6 as shown in Fig. 4. Thereafter the piston 4 moves upwardly as the piston 3 moves downwardly and the presence of the flame in the'cylinder 1 pre-.-- vents any backpassage of the dead gases; from the cylinder 2 to the cylinder 1 as anincident of the upward movement of the piston 4. These gases exhaustthrough the ports 22, the valve 23 opening under their pressure as shown in Fig. 4. The operation is started by cranking in the manner cus- -tomary with gas engines. I

Animportant consideration in the operation of the present engine is that a hot flame practically occupies the entire volume of the cylinder 1, and that the amount of heated air passing into the cylinder during the admission period is practically negligible. Consequently, when the flame is extinguished, only a very small amount ofcarbon dioxidremains in the cylinder, and this offers the least resistance to the action of the air on the piston 3. Since a flame occupies the cylinder 1 during the admission period, it is possible to have the cylinder 2 exhausting at the same time, and it is unnecessary to. provide any complicated valve arrangements between these cylinders to prevent back-passage of the dead gases. Moreover, it is unnecessary to effect condensation by means of mechanical adjuncts, such as coolingchambers or rarefying pumps. Condensation takes place naturally when the flame is separated from until the outside air and is quickened by the 'mechanical vacuum which occurs when thepistons 3 and 4move downwardly .for a brief interval at the same time, in the relation shown in Fig. 4, this interval being practically coincident with the instant of the closing of the valve 14. It will be apparent also'that the air acts with primary motive effect on the piston'3 and with secondary motive eflect on the piston 4, causing the latter to assist the downwardmovement of the piston 3. The movement of the slide valve 14 is practically without friction. This is due not only to the use of an operating cam related to the valve stem as described, but also to the 'fact that the movements ofthe valve are timed to occurwhen the pressure tion of fuel. 9

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. An engine of the type set forth, including a pair of cylinders, each having a closed and an open end, pistons working in the cylinders, a crank shaft connected to the pistons, a source of flame, one cylinder having a port through which the flame is drawn, a connection between the cylinders whereby the dead gases are passed from the first cylinder to the second cylinder, the latter having exhaust ports and a valve controlling the same, and a valve arranged to alternately cover and uncover the first-named port.

2. An engine of the type set forth, including a pair of parallel primary and secondary cylinders, each having a closed and an open end, a crank shaft having its crank arms at an angle of approximately 120 and connected to the respective pistons, a source of flame, the primary cylinder having an inhaust port adjacent its closed endthrough which the flame is drawn, a valveless connection between the cylinders, a valve ar ranged to alternately cover and uncover the inhaust port, and an exhaust valve in the secondary cylinder.

3. An engine of. the type set forth, including a pair of parallel primary and secondary cylinders, each having a closed and an open end, a crank shaft having its crank arms at an angle of approximately 120 and connected to the respective pistons, a source of flame, the primary cylinder having-an inhaust port adjacent its closed end through which the flame is drawn, a valveless connection between the c linders, in,- haust valve mechanism including a plate slidable across the inhaust port and operative to alternately cover. and uncover the same, a spring loaded stem carrying the plate, and a cam arranged on the crank shaft and controlling the movements of the stem, and an exhaust valve in the secondary cylinder.

4. An engine of the type set forth, including a pair of parallel primary and secondary y inders, each having a closed and an open end, a crankshaft having its crank arms at an angle of approximately 120 and connected to the respective pistons, a sourceof flame, the primary cylinder having an inhaust port adjacent its closed end through which the flame is drawn, a valveless connection between the cylinders, a valve arranged to alternately cover and uncover the inhaust port, the secondary cylinder having one or more exhaust ports near the upper end thereof, and a plate valve arranged to seat against an interior shoulder of the secondary cylinder and to interrupt the communication of the latter with the exhaust port or ports, the plate valve being movable under pressure away from said shoulder to establish the communication of said secondary cylinder and said port or ports.

5. An engine of the type set forth, including a pair of parallel primary and secondary cylinders, each having a closed and an open end, a crank shaft having its crank arms at an angle of approximately 120 andconnected to the respective pistons, a.

source of flame, the primary cylinder havin an inhaust port adjacent its closed e'n through which the flame is drawn, a valveless connection between the cylinders, a foraminous filling in said connection, a valve arranged to alternately cover and uncover the inhaust port, and anexhaust valve in the secondary cylinder.

6. An engine of the type set forth comprising a cylinder having an inhaust port, a source of flame, the flame passin through said port, a piston movable throug the cylinder, a valve which uncovers the port during the greater ortion of the outward movement of the piston and which closes just before the completion of the outward movement of the piston, a shaft driven by the piston, means operated by the shaft for producing an instantaneous mechanical vacuum in the cylinder coincidently with the instant of closing movement of the valve, and exhaust valve means for the dead ases.

'7. An engine 'of the type set orth which comprises two communicating cylinders and pistons working therein, a source of flame one of the cylinders havin valve controlled flame inhaust means and t e other cylinder having dead gas exhaust means, the piston of the latter cylinder bein so set as to cooperate with the piston o the former cyl inder to produce a mechanical vacuum immediately following the confinement of the flame in the first cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANTON HOLM. [1). s.]

Witnesses:

STANLEY G. MURRAY, IRA J. BOGERT. 

